Where We Come From
by nocturnalbeauty
Summary: Isabella Swan always thought she had a guardian angel - someone who was constantly watching over her. Little did she know, her watchful admirer was more of a devil than an angel. A devil to who she was promised... Rated M for future lemons, language, violence, and drama. ExB. AH. HEA.
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are all property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Prologue: Charlie's Point of View**

_Dear Mr. E. A. Masen,_

_I sincerely hope this letter finds you well. I'm writing to you in regards to the packages I keep receiving from you. Although the intention behind said packages I'm sure mean well for our daughter, we refuse to pass them on to her until she specifically asks for them, if she ever does. Ren__é__e and I feel the need to remind you that Isabella is not the kind of young woman whose feelings are bought. She loves and cares genuinely, and we love her all the more for it._

_As of now, it's purely up to you whether or not you take this advice but we do suggest you stop spending your money on things that will not be appreciated until the times comes to reveal to her who you are. Please take us seriously when we ask for you to keep prolonging your visit here. She's not yet graduated high school and is on the fast track towards getting a full ride to Chicago State University._

_If you're agreeable, we'd like to extend an invitation for you to come to her graduation party next summer for an introduction. Until then, Re and I will cease contact._

_Best regards,_

_Charles and Ren__é__e Swan_

_ ~XOXOX~_

Renée was putting dishes away in the kitchen, muttering on and on about how I couldn't keep our only daughter safe from the fucked up life we lead. I understood her perspective as a mama bear protecting her young, but the situation was far out of hand.

When Bella was born, we were in severe financial trouble and could barely afford to pay rent for the shitty house we had been living in then. The cupboards were constantly empty and we found ourselves relying on our families more than we should have. It wasn't until we met Edward Masen, Senior that everything changed. He and his wife had been in Seattle for one of their children's competitions, and we bumped into each other while exiting the building. Ed Senior was a scary man—one nobody wanted to cross, just by a first impression—while Elizabeth was very kind and a gentle looking woman.

Their children were relatively young: Edward Anthony was only thirteen and stood over six feet tall, with unruly copper colored hair and vibrant emerald green eyes; Catherine was eight at the time and she stood at a little over four feet tall with her father's dark brown hair and same green eyes and Edward and Elizabeth; Jasmine was the youngest of the three children at only two years old, she had auburn colored hair and Ed's dark eyes that contrasted against her fair skin.

As a way of apologizing for the "accident", Elizabeth had asked us to join their family for a late lunch before they had to head out to SeaTac for their flight to Chicago later that evening. Renée had offered to drive them to the airport after we dropped Bella off with my sister, and they had accepted her invitation. Thankfully, we had a minivan and it proved to be a good choice for the day. At the end of the day, Renée and Elizabeth had exchanged phone numbers while Ed and I made plans for them to call the next they'd be in the area. What I wasn't expecting was for him to slip a wad of cash into my coat pocket…

After that day, I felt indebted to Ed Masen for helping us when we were drowning. We still remained close, to the point where Renée felt the need to make Elizabeth Bella's godmother. I couldn't complain, for I couldn't have chosen anyone better for my own child. However, our lives took an unexpected turn when Edward turned eighteen. He was to take over Ed's company and wouldn't be able to without having chosen a bride. Our Bells wasn't even six years old when he chose her and, unfortunately, we couldn't say no.

Since then, Edward became a silent yet permanent fixture in her life. He wouldn't come for special occasions like birthdays and holidays personally but he'd spoil her with gifts. It was never easy to say no to people such as the Masen's… More so as we still felt indebted to them.

All I could do was hope he would be considerate enough as to wait until Bella was mature enough to understand the situation.


	2. Chapter One

**DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are all property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Chapter One:**** Bella's Point of View**

Stereos were blaring as I pulled into Morningside Academy. Several groups of students were leaning against their cars, wrinkling their uniforms, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee. I spot Rosie before I even park—her honey blonde hair glistening in the light. She was talking to one of the school jocks, leaning into him enough to show some cleavage. I chuckled to myself, parking my car next to hers, turning the ignition off and slamming the door. Her eyes met mine from across the parking lot and she winked.

I could hear Garrett ranting to her about how he didn't have a date for the spring formal.

"Seeing as neither of us has dates," he said, kicking a small pebble, "I was wondering if you'd like to go with me." He looked so nervous, standing there sweating bullets, I almost felt bad for him. Rosie only dated older guys and we always went to dances together.

"Look, Gary, you're a nice guy and all," she said, trying to sound sad, "but me and my girl always go together." She winked at me and grabbed my hand, pulling us into the main school building. "He's been working himself to ask me out for months. I'm surprised he had the guts to do it after all this time." Rose wasn't known for being the kindest person. On the contrary, she was known to be a beautiful heartbreaker. She had a toned body with long legs and big knockers, with long blonde hair down to her waist and icy blue eyes.

"Geez Rosie, he was practically about to shit his trousers! Couldn't you have let him down easy? Now they're probably going to be starting rumors about us being lesbians or whatever." I wasn't very happy with the new rumors I knew would be circulating the school in mere moments. I cringed at the thought of the lecture I would have to endure at the end of the day from my parents as well as a probable visit to the guidance counselor's office.

Attending a private Catholic school wasn't a small feat. Most of the students were idiots who depended on what their so-called friends deemed cool and the girls were catty bitches, with their fake colored hair and hair extensions. The parents were probably worse than the students though. Their concern wasn't on their children but on their appearance and how much they're going to be spending. Rose's parents weren't any different. Mr. and Mrs. Hale hired a nanny for Rose before they were discharged from the hospital. At eighteen, she was a very self-sufficient and independent.

On the other hand, my parents were always very devoted and over protective. Dad had been a police officer for almost a decade before he was shot in the line of duty while stopping a bank robbery and has been retired ever since. Instead of enjoying his early retirement, he decided to get his PhD and became a professor at a community college in Seattle. Mom had her cosmetology license before I was born and she was the co-owner of a beauty salon in Downtown that catered to the more elite women of Seattle.

Being an only child wasn't all its cranked up to be. It was very lonely while growing up and my parents wouldn't even let me get a dog, since Mom was allergic to cats. Apparently Mom had a very difficult pregnancy and was unable to have more kids due to complications. Dad always wanted a son and I think he seriously disliked me to an extent because of it. He wasn't obvious about it but I could always tell when he watched football on his own on Sundays and a sad shadow would cast over his face. He didn't neglect me, emotionally or physically. He was a devoted father and tried to be as active in my childhood as his job would allow.

Mom was a different story. She was quite happy with having me, though there were moments I could tell she longed for more but she always tried to be my best friend and would constantly take me into work with her. Sometimes she was more of a child in an adult's body, but I couldn't help but love her all the more for it. She was free spirited and independent, much like Rosie.

_~XoXoX~_

Throughout the day I could've sworn someone was watching me. Every time I turned around, I was met with nothing—just a sea of students I'd known since I was young. No one stood out to me, and I just couldn't shake the feeling even as I was driving home with Rosie—who had decided she'd crash at our house for the weekend and go to school with me on Monday.

"So, listen, Bells," Rose was playing with the radio, having a difficult finding something she liked, "My cousin Jasper's coming into town with some friends from Chicago. His girlfriend's coming too. Anyway, my parents want to take us all out to dinner and I figured I'd extend the invitation to you. Jas is a motorcycle rider so he's kind of the outcast of his family but Mama and Papa see him like the son they've never had… I swear, they give him more attention than they do me."

"Ro, you know it's not like that. Mama and Papa Hale aren't even affectionate towards each other and they've been married forever." She rolled her eyes and turned to look out the window.

"I just don't understand how they can be oh, so loving with their nephew when they practically ignore their only daughter. I know it's not fair to be jealous, B, but I can't help it. Your parents are so loving and doting." It was my turn to roll my eyes and let out a dark chuckle.

"You know, not everything is as perfect as it seems. Mom and Dad have their faults too. They wanted another baby after me, did you know that? But, because of some complications during my delivery, they basically had to remove her uterus. They may be discrete about it but I know that, to an extent, they hate me for causing them such distress and for making them unable to have another baby. I see it every time we go to the grocery store and there're babies everywhere." I saw her frown out of the corner of my eye, her eye brow furrowing.

"You're right. I'm sorry I've been such a shitty friend, B. I don't mean to be." Her eyes were full of remorse and I kind of felt bad. Besides her horrible relationship with her parents, Rose had just recently gotten out of a shitty relationship. She'd been dating Royce since she was a sophomore and finally decided to call it quits after two years, when she caught him with his pants around his ankles while banging his dad's new girlfriend. I remembered taking her distraught call in the middle of the night.

"It's nothing against you, babe. I just wanted you to understand that we're not this really close family everyone seems to picture. We're just as fucked up as you are—no offense. I mean, to the point where Mom and Dad have started looking into adoption and foster care. I hadn't realized they were so unhappy." I had been shocked, to say the least, when I found brochures and note pads filled with information in my mom's swirly handwriting. When I confronted them about it, Mom looked guilty and the gleam in Dad's eyes went away. We'd gotten into a big fight after that night, and I went to stay with Rose.

Rose pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and looked into the side view mirror. Her eyebrows furrowed again, though in concentration this time. Her eyes snapped to mine and I could see the concern all over face.

"I think someone's following you, babygirl. It's not the first time I've seen that car," she pointed to the black sports car behind us, "before… And it's creeping me out."

I also looked into the side view mirror and shrugged. The car did look familiar. I'd seen it parked at the school parking lot, the grocery store, the bank… but never gave any thought to it. It's not like it's uncommon to go to any of those. I looked back at Rose and couldn't shut off the nagging voice in my head that agreed with her.

"I tried looking inside the car at school; you know, try to maybe catch a glimpse of who the driver is but the window tints are too dark and I could barely see anything beyond shapes. It's just creepy!" I couldn't disagree with her. It really was creepy. I knew for a fact neither of us had relatives flying in who would use such a flashy car, and there was no sign of it belonging to a rental company.

"We'll have to talk to Dad and have him call Deputy McCarty at the police station. I'm sure they'll know what to do."

_~XoXoXo~_

Later that night, Rose and I were huddled up on the bench under my bedroom window when we saw the same black car from earlier that afternoon drive by. When I saw that car again, the hair at the back of my neck would stand and I got goose bumps. I couldn't tell Rose I'd seen it again; she had been freaking out enough as it was and passed out from exhaustion. Her body was slumped over, her chin tucked against her chest. She looked so distraught and far from peaceful. Her bangs covered her eyes and her pink lips were pouted. Her skin was a little flushed and I could see some perspiration behind her ears.

I ran my hand through her soft, silky hair. Looking out the window, I saw a pair of striking emerald green eyes—a shade of green that wasn't common and there such emotion in them—looking back at me through the window. I couldn't see a face but those eyes would forever be in my head. It felt as though I was looking in a mirror. Though I had very plain brown eyes, I could see the same emotions reflected in them.

I raised my hand to the window, pressing my palm against the glass gently.

"Who are you, stranger?"


	3. Chapter Two

**DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are all property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Chapter Two: Bella's Point of View**

Over the next few weeks, I continued seeing the same pair of haunting green eyes in my dreams. I couldn't get them out of my head, and that bothered me… Something about them drew me in. I was curious as to what happened to cause such pain in those eyes—but not curious enough to include Rose.

No, she was too preoccupied with Deputy McCarty's son who had flown into Seattle from Ireland. I had to give it to her though; she had good taste in men. Emmett McCarty was a fine man—tall, with a linebacker's type of build, curly brown hair, sea blue eyes, and the cutest set of dimples. He started attending UDub about two weeks after my encounter with Green Eyes, and Rose quickly became enamored by him... Or the idea of him. Mr. and Mrs. Hale were less than pleased with their daughter's choice and their arguments with Rose led to many sleepovers—not that my parents minded.

I shouldn't have been surprised that Rose would use their time apart to her advantage. It almost felt as though our friendship had taken the back burner and she was now focusing solely on her relationship with Emmett. Angela pinned me as being jealous but, the truth was, I couldn't find it in me to be jealous of Rose's happiness. I was happy for her, actually. After all the bullshit with her parents, she deserved to be happy.

"Bells," I heard someone call from behind me. I turned around and saw Angela walking towards me, twirling a strand of her hair and a huge smile gracing her face. "Emmett's throwing a party on Saturday to welcome his cousins from Chicago. I guess they'd been in Dublin with their grandparents and decided to come to Seattle instead of heading back to Chicago. God, I bet he has hot cousins… Anyways, are you coming?" I nodded absent mindedly. I knew Dad wouldn't object since the party was likely to take place at the Deputy's house and what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. I would have to make sure my cheerleading uniform was clean and ready for the following week, and Mom wouldn't object.

"Yeah, I'll probably be there. At what time is the party supposed to start?" Ang dug into her bag and pulled out a piece of paper. She handed it to me.

"Here are all the details. The party starts around 9 but you know how it is… If you're on time, you're early so just show up whenever you want. One of Ben's friends from P.A. is bringing the alcohol and I'm sure someone's bound to bring some weed, if you're interested." I nodded again.

"Does the Dep have any idea that Emmett's doing this?" She shook her head and cracked a small smile.

"Hell no! Em's not an idiot—and he wouldn't have asked Ben to have his contacts bring the happy juice if he were going." A goofy grin spread across her face at the mention of Ben and I couldn't help but smile as well. "Oh! By the way, some of the McCarty's friends are coming too. From what I heard, the girls that are coming go to UDub too!" I tuned out after that. Ang kept talking and I was nodding and smiling at every appropriate moment. When she finished raving about the people coming for Emmett's party, I grabbed my tote and math textbook, and made my way to my car. Great, now I officially had to call Alice to come over and help me get ready on Saturday.

As I drove home, I couldn't stop thinking about the man I'd seen through my bedroom window. I still didn't know who it was or what he was going there, if there even was a reason. Maybe I was reading too much into it. Though I knew Dad would be thankful that I wasn't taking the situation lightly.

The drive felt short and I was home in what felt like the blink of an eye… Dad's pick-up truck was parked in the driveway but Mom's was out of sight. My guess was that she was still at the salon. I sure didn't mind though. She had been nagging me about boys and that was one subject I wanted to avoid. I knew Angela had been dating Ben for like a year, Alice had been seeing some older southern guy, and Rose made it official that she was trying to get with Emmett.

The sound of my phone buzzing brought me back to reality. Alice's name popped up on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Bella, it's Alice. I've been trying to get in touch with you all week! Aunt Née said you were probably out with Rose when I last spoke to her. Then earlier, Uncle C said she was closing the salon tonight. Anyway, I know it's Thursday and you will probably say no, but I was wondering if we could have a sleepover this weekend... maybe do some shopping. Rose told me about some party she's going to this weekend and wanted to set something up."

"Al, as much as I'd love to go shopping with you, I'm not in the mood. But I was actually going to call you tonight to see if you wanted to come to the party too. I'd love to have your help while getting ready!" I'd never given her the green light to play dress up Bella Barbie.

"That sounds awesome! Oh! One of Jazz's college friends is in Seattle and really wants to meet you. You'd get along so well with Peter. He's so handsome, smart, and all of that good stuff parents love so much. Did I mention he's handsome? Like, he even makes me weak in the knees! And he's only a year younger than Jazzy. I just think he'd be perfect for you, Bells." I couldn't contain the series of giggles that wanted to escape.

"I love you and all, Alice, but you're horrible at matchmaking." I could hear her snort through the phone.

"Not this time! I really do think you guys will hit it off. Just give him a chance, 'kay? He'll be at McCarty's party too so you might as well enjoy yourself, babe. No harm could come out of this."

"I'll think about it. I'd definitely be more comfortable meeting Peter either at the party or with you guys around. You know how paranoid Dad is about the guys I date after what happened with James... He's like uber cautious, it's ridiculous." After that, Alice and I spoke for close to an hour before Dad came out to see when I was going inside, saying I could have just waited to talk to Alice until I got inside. I groaned, leaning my head back. I knew then it was going to be a long night.

~ XO XO XO ~

The rest of the week was rather uneventful and Saturday came sooner than I was ready for. Alice had slept over last night and was staying until tomorrow. Her hair had gotten longer than it was when we had last seen each other. It reached her shoulder blades now and was still raven black, and her grey eyes shone with mischief once we got into my bedroom. She gushed about how nicely Mom decorated it.

"I swear, Bells, if only my mom was half as talented as Aunt Née, the world would be a much better place! It's so sad that all of Gram's creative genes didn't go to Ma…" Alice's Ma and my mom were half sisters. Gram had been in a horrible, abusive marriage with a very well known alcoholic named Alec Marino, but her Pa had approved of the union and reminded her at every turn that it would bring shame to their family if she did divorce. From what Gram told us, he'd gotten really drunk one night and forced himself onto her in bed… Alice's Ma, Katerina, was conceived. Alec didn't want Aunt Kate though and he almost killed Gram because she refused to 'get rid' of the baby. It didn't take much longer after that for Gram to divorce Alec, regardless of what her Pa had told her.

Years later after their divorce, Gram met a nice Irish man by the name of Keith Gallagher. Gramps was a handsome man and I could see why Gram fell in love with him. They married in a village outside of Dublin before settling in a small town outside of Seattle. Mom didn't come into the picture until another three years after they were married. She was the apple of Gram's eye and everyone adored her.

Aunt Kate met Patrick Brandon during her senior year at NYU, where she had been majoring in theatrical arts. They were married for almost ten years before Alice was born. By then, Mom and Dad had been married and I was born less than three months after Alice. It's safe to say that Alice and I had been best friends since we were in diapers. We confided in each other and were more like sisters than anything else. We had our differences, of course. More so in personality than in looks. She'd always been more of a girly girl, where I would be more comfortable in jeans and a hoodie. As we got older, we got into things our parents would be beyond disappointed if they knew… Alice and I smoked our first blunt together and would sneak into the basement bar at her house when her parents were out and break into the liquor cabinet.

"Are you listening to me?" Alice had her hand on her hip and a stern look crossed her face. I nodded.

"Of course!" She raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Come on. Get in the shower, hot stuff. We need to be ready by 7. Peter and Jazz are taking us out for dinner before the party.

~ XO XO XO ~

We ended having a nice dinner at a small French bistro before we went to Emmett's house. Alice was right; Peter was the kind of guy every parent would want for their daughter, and I was grateful for the introduction but the spark just wasn't there. He was incredibly handsome though. He was tall, probably around six feet tall with short brown hair that framed his face and hazel eyes.

When we got to Emmett's house, the party was in full swing. There was music playing and people all over the main floor with their drinks.

"Bella!" I turned around and saw Rose hanging off Emmett's arm. She was wearing a pair of tight metallic jeans and a black glittery blouse. Her hair was up in a messy bun, showing off her neck and collarbone; while Emmett wore a pair of really worn jeans and a button down shirt. "Emmett, will you go get us some beer?" He nodded and shot her a quick smile before going. "Oh, my God! You look amazing. Why didn't you tell me Alice was in town?"

_Because we've barely spoken all week…_ I wanted to say, but settled for, "Oh! She decided to come for the weekend at the last minute. We just came from dinner with Jazz and Peter." She looked confused at the mention of Peter.

"Peter's here? Jazz has been friends with him for years, but I hadn't realized he and Charlotte had broken up." I hadn't heard about this Charlotte, assuming he was single since Alice had been trying to set us up for months. "Oh well. Listen, Emmett's got some cousins and stuff here tonight and we wanted to introduce you."

"That's great. Hey, do you have a cigarette on you? I'll get you back on Monday, no worries." She nodded. It was rare for Rose to go without cigarettes but, if she didn't have a purse, she'd stuff the pack into one of her boot. She took a single cigarette and handed it to me. I took it between my fingers and fished in my clutch for a lighter. With the cigarette lighten and secure in my mouth, I put the lighter back and exhaled. "Thanks, babe. You have no idea how much I needed this."

"No probs. You know I'm here for anything." She looked away and smiled when she saw Emmett coming our way with two red plastic cups. "His cousins have been begging to meet you, by the way. Don't be surprised if they're overly enthusiastic. Especially Jasmine. She's a sweetheart though. You'll love her. Look over by the couch," she pointed towards a girl with short auburn hair and brown dancing eyes. Next to her stood a tall man with a bulky build. He had unruly bronze hair and the most phenomenal emerald green eyes…

Green eyes…

_Those_ green eyes…

The same green eyes I'd seen reflected through my bedroom window weeks back.

_Oh, goodness._


	4. Chapter Three

**DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters, settings, etc. are all property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.  
****  
This chapter hasn't been beta'd. Any mistakes are all mine.**

**Chapter Three:**

It didn't take long for the noise surrounding us to disappear, and all I could feel were his eyes on mine. His hair was a mess, looking as though someone had been repeatedly running their hands through it; his eyes, an intense shade of emerald green were boring into me. Looking closer, I could see black ink peek out through the collar of his shirt. His chest was bare, an intricate silver cross hanging from a thin chain. His arm muscles strained against the fabric of his shirt attractively as he wasn't too muscly or lanky.

"Guys," said Emmett, situating Rose on his lap, "this is my cousin, Edward Masen. He's moving here from Chicago." My eyes widened. _So this was the man I had been dreaming about. _Edward nodded his head once in acknowledgement, the girls around us barely containing their squeals of excitement.

I looked around before excusing myself, making a bee line for the kitchen. There were couples scattered all over but I managed to find enough space to grab myself a drink before slipping through the back door. Unlike the inside of the house, the backyard was empty but well lit. It was like an oasis away from the chaos.

"I didn't expect for you to run out of there like a bat out of Hell." The bronze haired Adonis stood behind me, flicking his cigarette onto the ground. I could feel his gaze traveling up and down my body - a blush spreading across my cheeks and chest. "You know, I'm rather curious to see just how far that blush of yours goes."

My eyes snapped up to meet his.

"Look, I don't know you. And, as of right now, I'm not sure if I want to know you. The fact is, you're my best friend's boyfriend's cousin. So we're probably going to be seeing each other quite often, if it were up to them. I would strongly suggest that you brush up on your manners." I nodded my head in his direction, putting my cup down on the floor. "Until next time."

I ran back inside the house, grabbing my purse and keys. With a goodnight text to Rose and Alice, I made my way home.

~ XO XO XO ~

The rest of the weekend went by smoothly, and it wasn't until Wednesday night that I saw Edward again—though it was at home, instead of the McCarthy's. He even stayed for dinner, much to my mother's pleasure. He hadn't left until almost midnight that night, before showing up again on Friday.

After another dinner with Edward and my parents, we sat in the den. Mom sat on the love seat by the fireplace with Dad, clutching a glass of red wine in her hand. Dad sat stiffly next to her with a freshly opened bottle of Blue Moon in between his thighs. Edward sat in Dad's favorite leather chair across from them, a bottle of beer in his hands. But I sat on a small stool in front of the fireplace, starting into the crackling flames.

"Bells," said my dad softly. "We're just waiting for the rest of the Masen's to come by. Your mother and I have some rather important news for you." I nodded absent-mindedly. Mom and Dad exchanged a look I couldn't understand before continuing their small talk with Edward.

Shortly after, Mom made her way up the stairs when the doorbell rang, startling me.

It wasn't long before a statuesque couple walked in. The woman - who I assumed was Edward's mother - was tall and thin, with dark auburn hair and the same familiar emerald green eyes. The man next to her was even taller, with brown hair and dark brown eyes. They both had the same tattoo—of an intricate green clover with Masen in cursive along the short stem—on the inside of their wrists.

"Elizabeth, Ed, please make yourselves at home." Mom moved the throw pillows on the couch and sat back down with Dad. I avoided looking in Edward's direction, opting to look at my feet or the fire.

I avoided looking in Edward's direction, opting to look at my feet or the fire Elizabeth and Edward Masen seemed to be very warm people. They interacted comfortably with my parents, trying to include me in their conversation.

It wasn't until Dad began to look guilty, almost, that my concern grew.

"Oh, Renee, I just can't wait for the wedding! It'll be so beautiful..." I looked at Elizabeth, who sat with her hands folded on her lap.

"Whose wedding are you talking about?" The moment Mom and Dad's eyes met, I felt my stomach drop. I could feel the air swoosh out of my lungs and my heart rate increase.

"Why, yours and Edward's, of course! Who else's?" I couldn't help but stare at her, wonder if maybe she had been misinformed. I had barely been a week since I met Edward, and I still wasn't speaking to him unless it was absolutely necessary.

Mom and Dad looked like deer caught in the headlights. My blood boiled as anger coursed through me. I turned to look at my parents.

"Is this why you've been including _him_ in so much?" I turned quickly to Edward. "And _you_! No wonder you've been trying to get closer to me—to us. You're a sick son of a bitch!" I couldn't take any more. I stood from the stool and ran up the stairs, all the way to my room and locked the door.

~ XO XO XO ~

Having had the opportunity to sleep on the new information, I realized I could have handled the news better. But only being eighteen and finding out through my _fiancé_'s mother that we were engaged to be married, put a damper on my life plans - plans that involved college, travel, and adventure.

Over breakfast the next morning, Mom sat with me at the kitchen table and explained everything. She looked upset, dark circles under her eyes and a frown on her face.

"Bella, this isn't easy for us either. Elizabeth and Ed helped us out of some financial troubles we had after you were born. Your dad wasn't as good at financial management as he is now, sweetheart. He gambled and spent money on stupid things. When you were born, it was by a cesarean section so the hospital bill was higher than it would have been had I had a natural delivery because of the anesthesia and whatnot. Even with help from your grandparents, we still struggled. I honestly can't remember what we were doing when we met the Masen's. You were so small - less than three months old - and we had run into them on the streets of Downtown Seattle. We helped them find their way around the city and even offered them a place to stay. And, as a _thank you_, they settled most of our hospital bills. As you can imagine, they saved us in more ways than one - financially, of course, and we also became very close friends."

"That doesn't explain why I have to marry Edward." A tear trailed down her cheek, and she wiped it away quickly.

"Ed runs a very high-end and successful business. He mentioned to your father that Edward would need a great woman by his side to run the business when the time came. Elizabeth, Ed, your dad and I thought it would be a match made in heaven if the two of you were a couple. Powerful families have powerful children, Bella. It made so much sense. By the time we drew up a contract, you were already three years old and Edward was sixteen. You loved him, and so much and we didn't see anything wrong in solidifying a union between the Swan's and the Masen's."

"So, let me get this straight. You're still using me as a way to thank the Masen's for everything they've done for you and Dad." Mom tilted her head to the side, biting her bottom lip. Her hair was uncharacteristically undone. She was usually so put together, with her hair pinned up at the top of her head.

"I wouldn't phrase it like that. You're making this sound worse than it is."

"It's pretty fucking bad as it is, Mom!" I cradled my head in my hands, fighting off tears and rubbing my temples with the tip of my fingertips. I could see Mom's shoulders squaring, a visible sign of her anger.

"You watch your language, young lady. No matter what, you're still my daughter and live under our roof. I understand that this isn't easy to take in but there's no need to treat us like the scum beneath your feet. We love you, okay? And we're only trying to do what's best for you." I kicked the chair from under me, standing straight as I gathered my dishes and dumped them in the sink. "I love you, Bella. I know this seems like a really shitty situation to be in and, believe me, I can imagine it is but it's all for you." She walked away from the table, silent tears streaming down her face. I almost regretted the way I had acted towards her. She didn't deserve to be treated so horribly by me, regardless of the circumstances.

I made my way back to my bedroom, stewing things over. Logically, I couldn't be mad at my parents for doing what they thought was best at the time. But emotionally, it was a whole different story. I felt upset, mad and, even worse, betrayed. I only hoped time would make things better… I hoped Edward and I could get along, enough to at least make a platonic relationship work.

**A/N: Please don't be upset for the long wait! Things have been hectic and I've been working on this chapter for a few weeks. My son has surgery on Thursday and we also have family flying in this week as well, but I'm going to try to have the next chapter ready for an update by the end of next week.**

**Thank you for sticking with me through this journey!**


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